shallow graves
by ricothezombieslayer
Summary: 4 days after the being of the apocalypses Rico lost everything then she met a boy named Nathan. They meet rick and his group later on during the apocalypses. And Rico has secret feelings for Nathan can she tell him or will she be lost to the apocalypses like so many before her?
1. Chapter 1

Nathan looked around him. The room was in considerably good shape, considering it hadn't had anyone in it for at least a month. The wallpaper was slightly scraped, but it was nothing new. The bright, yellowish color of the wall hadn't begun to fade yet, which meant it was relatively new. Nathan was slightly confused about this. He doubted that anyone had found the time to paint the room while they were there. But, he put his distracting thoughts to the side. He had one goal: get in, get supplies. Well, getting in had been easy enough. He couldn't see any threat in the building, at least not yet. There weren't any spare weapons. While this might've been discouraging to others, Nathan found it somewhat of a relief. It meant that no one could sneak up on him, or even ambush in a group.

Nathan took notice of the open door to his left. Well, it USED to be a door. Now, it was just a bunch of torn up hinges, rusting and barely attached to the wall. There were no blood stains, which was peculiar. There had obviously been some kind of a physical struggle. The wall next to the opening was dented in slightly, indicating that something had hit it. Hard. Maybe a baseball bat. But, Nathan decided he didn't have time to think about these things. He often got side-tracked, and getting side-tracked while he was next to a clear opening was a bad idea.

He began to walk around the room. Slowly, he made his way in a circle, checking under every object and item that was on the floor. All in all, he found three bullets, a small, broken knife, and a pistol, with only one bullet.

"Damn it." he whispered to himself. "No food here. Or water."

Nathan sighed. He knew that if he couldn't find food for a while, he would have to find water, and soon. He had emptied his bottle the previous morning, and now he couldn't find anything to refill it with. He stuffed the knife into his pocket, and loaded the bullets he had found into the almost-empty pistol. "I swear, this thing is gonna get me killed." he murmured. He knew that pistols weren't exactly the most effective firearm, and the fact that they were loud didn't help things. That was why he prefered his Lee Enfield gun. Sure, it made a lot more noise than a pistol, but it was definitely stronger. It usually only took him one shot. He smiled, slightly. "Well, it's better than nothing, I guess…"

Then, Nathan heard it. The snapping of a small branch, maybe even a twig. The sound would've been barely noticeable if not for all else being silent. Nathan remained still for a moment, his eyes wide in surprise. For one horrible moment, everything was dead quiet. Everything had fallen silent, even the wind had stopped. Nathan could feel it's dead, soul-less, cruel, cold eyes staring at him, hungrily and darkly.

After another moment, Nathan heard fast footsteps. As quickly as he could, Nathan turned around and fired the pistol.

The bullet hit the walker directly between the eyes. Black blood poured from the bullet hole as the corpse collapsed to the floor. It twitched and moaned and hissed, then fell silent. It's eyes, which were pale and gray, closed. Its mouth hung open, saliva and blood dripping from its gruesome, rotting, torn up jaws. Its teeth were rotted out, and yet they seemed somewhat sharp. It's body was a home of filth and decay. The clothes it wore were tattered, ripped and blood stained. It's hair was stringy and oily.

Nathan gagged slightly. It reeked of death. The smell of rotting flesh hung in the air as the wound continued to bleed out.

"Better get goin'." Nathan decided. He fitted the pistol into his belt, and, gripping his gun, finger on the trigger, he stepped cautiously over the downed corpse. Nathan looked up and down the dark hallway. Nothing else seemed to follow the walker. There was no sound of moaning and screeching, no smell of decay and rotting. He breathed a sigh of relief. There was no danger. Slowly and silently, Nathan made his way down the hall, and into the light of a small living room. It had two, large windows, each one next to the front door. The television was plugged in, but only static would ever come up. Nathan, out of fear, had turned the volume down, so that he wouldn't be frightened. That was the only moment he was glad his friends weren't there. They couldn't make fun at him for being phobic. He walked across the television set, which was next to a small table. There was, unfortunately for Nathan, no food to be found anywhere in the house. He had checked the entire house twice, just to be sure. Maybe he was OCD. That would explain a lot.

Nathan stepped out into the sunlight. It was a cloudless day, the sun beating down on everything on this side of the Earth. The wind was slow and warm, and a few leaves were blown with it. The grass rustled in the breeze, making the field in front of him look like an ocean of pure green water. Beyond the field was a large forest. The tint of the transparent leaves made the ground under the canopy seem to glow with a faint green light. The thinner trees swayed in the wind. The thicker ones remained more stable, but their branches moved back and forth in the breeze.

It was the first beautiful sight Nathan had seen in a long, long time.

He looked to the right. There, right next to the house, there was a short, red, barn. It seemed dull, faded in a way. On the roof of the barn, several crown had made their nest. They squawked as they flew from tree to tree, then back to the roof. Occasionally, they would swoop down and grab something off the ground.

Nathan walked over to the barn door, making sure to check over his shoulder every now and then. When he got to the door, he looked from side to side. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. However, he couldn't see anyone or anything. He shrugged and slid the barn door open. It was dark inside, save for a circular window at the upper front of the barn's wall. It was empty, save for the extensive amount of hay that had been piled up.

Nathan came to a horrible realization. The barn smelled like death. That horrid stench hung in the air. And, as he listened closely, he could hear rustling within the hay. At the very end of the first floor of the barn, in a spot where both the long and tall hay piles met, there it was. A walker, trying to struggle it's way out and to Nathan. It had only one eye. The other one was gone, as if it had been stabbed through. A scar ran down it's face, passing through the empty eye socket. It had dull, orange-brown hair, that was thick, coarse and mangy. Its hair hung long over it's face, but not enough to completely cover it. It wore a bloody black t-shirt, and a red sweatshirt, with only one side still in tact. Its eyes darted back and forth, looking hungrily at everything it saw.

Nathan waited for a moment. He wondered how this person had become a walker, how they had died in that hay stack. It must've been painful. The scar had been reopened from the struggle before it's death, and it was oozing black blood. The mouth was full of red and pick teeth, with black gums and a disgusting, slimy tongue. It snapped and bit and spat at the air, trying in vain to get out of its prison. One of its arms was pushing against the hay, in a surprising attempt to pry itself out. The other arm was missing a few fingers, and the bone was showing under the damp and rotting flesh of the elbow. The person had been attacked by someone, that was evident. Walkers couldn't use knives on people's eyes like that. Whoever did it left them, still alive, in the hay. While they were stuck, walkers came in and finished the job.

Nathan drew his Lee-Enfield. He aimed it at the walker's fleshy forehead. Still, it gurgled and hissed, not noticing the gun at the ready. He placed his finger on the trigger, ready to pull and fire at a moment's notice. He took one last look at the struggling walker.

"Sorry, man…" he said. He pulled the trigger. The bullet shot forward and nailed the walker in the brain. Blood blew from the wound, and the walker went limp.

Suddenly, he realized the mistake he made. If this walker was killed by other walkers…

...they were still nearby.

Nathan realized this all too late. As he turned around to take aim, five walkers rushed through the door. They were faster than any that Nathan had ever seen, and they were actually in good shape...aside from being dead.

In panic, Nathan backed himself up into a corner. He wanted to take aim and fire, but his emotions were all mixed. He felt fear, sadness, anger, and desperation. Still, his arm would not let the gun raise. Nathan shut his eyes as one of the walkers lunged toward him.

Nothing happened.

Nathan opened his eyes. In front of him, the walker lay on the ground, with a metal arrow piercing its brain. The other walkers were looking around, obviously confused. Their eyes and heads darted from side to side, trying to find the source of the new silence.

There was a small, whistle-like sound. Another arrow notched itself into a walker's head. Then another. And another. Soon, all five walkers were on the floor, dead as when they were first killed.

Nathan was confused. He didn't know what to think. It certainly wasn't him that had fired the arrows. So who was it? He realized, after being in a daze for a few moments, that he was sitting. Wobbling, he got to his feet and looked around.

There, on top of one of the barn's rafters, stood a figure with a crossbow in their hands.


	2. Chapter 2

The figure called out in a feminine voice.

"Are you suicidal?" her voice stayed quiet "or are you just a dumbass?" she questioned "your not bitten are ya?" she questioned as she climbed down from the rafters with the grace and agility of a cat.

Nathan, after taking in what had just happened, laid down his gun and raised his hands in a surrendering position. He gulped nervously. The person in front of him had a weapon, and he was defenseless. Not the best spot to be in, in the apocalypse.

"Okay...one, not yet. Two, I take that as an insult and refuse to answer it, and three, no. I would be doubled over in pain if I was." he replied.

"Well, I've seen some fucked up shit" she said flipping her shoulder length dirty blond hair over her shoulder. "My own brother turned right before my eyes, and he never once was in pain before." she said, lowering her crossbow so it wasn't pointing directly between Nathan's eyes. Nathan nodded.

"Anyone else with you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He couldn't help but be suspicious of this girl. He didn't know her, and already she had threatened his life. she rolled her eyes

"Does it look like I'm with anyone? But if you're really that dense, then no, I'm a lone wolf. My opinion is groups just get you killed faster." she said, as she pulled her arrows out of the zombie's heads. "Damn infected blood..." she wiped them off on one of the shirts on the corpses. The blood, as it was wiped off, oozed toward the floor, making an almost lava-like popping sound. Nathan cringed. The smell of the infected blood was one thing he knew he wouldn't ever get used to. He looked at the girl again.

"Now it's my turn to ask who YOU are." he said.

"the name's Rico." she replied. Nathan nodded. He looked at the Lee-Enfield resting on the floor.

"...Can I have that back now?" he asked, somewhat oblivious.

"I'm not the one who put it there, fucktard!" she spat. "But be warned. If you discharge another shot I WILL leave you to the horde you attract!" she threatened. Nathan backed up. Rico was obviously aggressive, and wasn't exactly a people person. Slowly, he kneeled to the ground, picked up his Lee-Enfield, and rose back up. He looked around him, at the dead bodies, and he then realized something. This one, only one living person, could potentially be even more deadly than a herd of these dead people. He shuddered to think of what might happen if he set her off. He looked at the girl in front of him.

"Well...I guess I'll leave then, Rico." he said. Rico rolled her eyes.

"Don't expect me to fuckin' beg you to stay, dumbass. This ain't a Clint Eastwood movie or some shit like that. Get outta my fuckin' sights or I WILL shoot a few holes in you." she said, scowling at Nathan as though he was a walker that was immune to arrows. Her eyes were a stormy grey, as if she was trying to get the sky to strike him with lightning. But, the sky seemed to like Nathan today. He backed up, toward the door of the barn. As he approached the opening, he took one last look back. Rico was already climbing back up through the rafters, to a hole on the roof of the barn. Nathan sighed, and walked out of the opening.

The green hills seemed dim, now. In less than ten minutes, the lovely leaves of the trees seemed to have been withered away in color. The wind howled, like a wolf without a pack. The sky was darkening by the minute. A storm was brewing.

"Hey, dipshit. They're smarter in the dark. You should get your ass back in that barn, or the house. You don't wanna get caught in a storm with those things. But I don't really care what you do." she called from the roof, watching as the sky darkened. "You've got a limited amount of time to decide, fucktard." she said, looking down at him. She'd never admit it aloud, but inside, she thought he was kinda cute. "Tick tock!" she said, tapping her wrist. In the distance there was a faint sound, and they both had a good idea of what it was. Nathan didn't have to think twice. He used a slightly used, (and by slightly used, it means almost completely rotted away, but still somehow usable) ladder to climb up the side onto the roof. Rico kicked the ladder off after he climbed up.

"Shit! I need to get that door closed!" she climbed into the barn through the hole and jumped down, landing in a roll, and ran to the door. She pushed against the old, slightly rotted door, but it wouldn't budge. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she said, pushing harder. Nathan looked out the top window. Sure enough, a group of walkers was rapidly approaching. Some had no arms, even a leg missing. They simply trailed behind the rest of the herd, which, surprisingly, seemed to be sprinting toward the door. Nathan climbed down, and pushed himself against the door.

"It's not workin'!" Rico yelled over the sound of wind and moaning. Nathan shook his head. It HAD to work. "Try a little harder this time, dumbass!" she commanded, stepping on Nathan's foot. Whether that was on purpose or not, Nathan didn't know. And, right now, he didn't care. He had more things to focus on.

"1...2...3!" Nathan yelled. Both he and Rico slammed themselves into the door. It closed. Rico slumped against the door.

"Not bad, fucktard." she said, jumping slightly as one of the infected slammed against the door. The force of the infected slamming into the door caused it to crack slightly. The cracking got louder, and the wood of the door began to split.

"Holy shit, there's a lot of them out there!" Nathan said. Rico rolled her eyes.

"You don't say, fucktard." She said as she stood up. "Back to the roof." And with that, she began climbing the rafters. "Hey, dumbass! You wanna stay down there, be my guest. But if not you might want to start climbin'." Nathan looked at the door. It was breaking even more, the wailing voices of the dead echoing in the empty barn. He looked back up at the rafters. He was never good at climbing. But, it was a life-or-death situation. He had no choice. Nathan climbed the ladder at the side of the door, going up onto the second floor. He walked across the first rafter, as if it was a balance beam. It wasn't easy. Nathan was rather clumsy. Finally, he reached the fourth rafter, on the very inside of the top of the barn. Rico was there, sitting against the wall as though she were in a recliner.

"What took you, fucktard?" she said, barely taking notice he had even attempted the climb. She stood up and walked across the last three rafters. She reached up and hooked her fingers around the edge of the old wood around the hole and pulled herself up. She turned and faced the hole impatiently, waiting for Nathan.

Nathan wondered how she even did this day-by-day. He could never accomplish anything like that. Just climbing up there had been enough of a chore for him. Now he had to do it again? He sighed. Someone had to do it, he supposed. He walked across the three rafters, and barely pulled himself up and over the wood around the hole.

"You need any help there, fucktard?" Rico questioned. Not because she cared, she just didn't want to have to shoot someone else she knew. Nathan shook his head. He was able to pull himself up. He also preferred not to accept help from rico. He didn't exactly enjoy her being there. All she did was make him feel degraded. Asking for help from someone like that, in Nathan's mind, would have made him even lower.

"'Kay, suit yourself." she said, and walked over to the edge of the barn and looked down, trying to ignore her fear of heights. "How many do you think are down there?" she said, actually being nice to him for once. Nathan climbed up next to her.

"Holy shit...it's a fucking horde down there…" he muttered in disbelief. Rico sighed.

"No shit, Sherlock. HOW MANY?" she asked, sounding much more stern this time. Nathan was still in shock.

"There's...there's like 30, maybe 40 down there…" Nathan stated, answering Rico's question.

"We're fucked, I can take 9, maybe 10 at a time!" she replied. Nathan looked at his gun.

"Maybe we can just shoot them from up here?" he knew this was going to be a stupid mistake, he knew that inquiring something so idiotic would only get Rico ticked off even more. He suddenly regretted his idea.

"We could, but it would double that horde." she said, looking around. "I have an idea, Nathan." She started toward the edge of the barn that was closest to a tree.

"...okay, I'm out. What's your plan? Get em' all into the tree then burn it down?" Yet another thought he regretted saying out loud.

"No. Just come here." she said. "You'll just have to trust me on this one." She inched closer to the edge of the barn. Nathan didn't exactly like the trusting part, but he really didn't want to get eaten alive by rabid walkers. So, he followed Rico.

"Just stay here. I'll help you when I get across." she said, and grabbed a branch, testing if it could hold her weight. "Move." she said, gently pushing Nathan to the side and getting to the other edge of the barn. She started to run toward the branch. She reached the edge and did a flip so she could wrap her legs around the branch and hang there like a monkey.

"..Wow." Nathan said. "Where'd you learn that, seriously?" he asked.

"Before the world came to an end, I took parkour." she said looking, him in the eye. "Do you trust me?" she asked. "You're going to need to trust me, Nathan." she stressed the word trust.

Nathan couldn't think of a good answer. How could he tell the person who always called him a fucktard, would've gladly left him with the herd of walkers, and who would probably end up pushing off the roof ask him to trust her? Nathan thought for a moment. There was no one else he COULD trust. No one else would help him. He had to take the chance while he could, or the outcome would be death for both of them.

"...Yeah. I trust you." he said, still slightly unsure of his own answer.

"Ok, Nathan. You need to listen to my instructions, to the very last detail. If you don't, you'll plummet 30 feet down." she said. "First, get to the center of the barn, just before the hole." she instructed. Nathan nodded and got the the hole.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Keep your eyes locked on mine at all times, and run toward me. If your eyes aren't on me you WILL plummet to the ground. Keeping our eyes locked will keep you in a straight line and lined up with me." she said, locking her eyes with Nathan's.

Nathan nodded again. He was trying to keep his mind off the fact she could be lying to him, off the fact he could die, off the fact he could turn into a walker. He had to stay focused.

"And?" he questioned

"Trust me. You can stay here and go down with the barn if you want. But once you start running, there's no stopping. The moment your feet leave the roof, put your arms above your head." she said. He sighed. Once you start running, there's no stopping. Those words echoed in his mind. No stopping. He couldn't think about it. He had to just do it. He looked at Rico.

"Are you sure I can trust you?" he asked.

"Yeah. I've done this with a 32 year old and never lost my grip. I promise I won't drop you." she said, sincerely. "On the count of 3, run, ok?" she questioned him. Nathan nodded nervously. His heart was pounding, almost as loud as the moaning and yelling of the walkers right below him. He couldn't see them, but he knew they had drawn their attention from the barn to him. If he missed the jump…

"Alright." he said.

"One..." she began the count down slowly. "...two...three!" she called out to Nathan. He closed his eyes and shot forward. For a moment, everything seemed silent. The wailing of the undead stopped. The wind stopped. It felt as though his own breathing had stopped. He opened his eyes. He was gripping the branch. Rico reached up and grabbed the branch swinging herself closer to the trunk. She resumed her original position and held her arms out toward nathan.

"Nathan kick your feet toward my hands." she said. For a second, Nathan thought she must be insane. Have her catch him, upside down, hanging from a tree branch, while walkers snapped, bit and hissed hungrily below him. Yeah. Totally safe.

"...you have got to be the most insane person I have met." he said.

"Come on, you trusted me enough to get you off the roof. And if I was really just gonna kill you, I wouldn't have bothered to get you in the tree, I would have just pushed you off the roof." she stated plainly, her voice laced with urgency. Nathan sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a good point. He kicked, but came just short of her hands.

"Try again." she said.


	3. Chapter 3

After attempting a few more (hundred, seemingly to Nathan) times, he was able to kick far enough.

"Good. Now, try not to piss your pants." she said as she swung him toward the trunk of the tree. Nathan panicked.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" he exclaimed.

"You'll be fine." she said, as she let go. He landed on a branch.

"...Right. Good." he said, embarrassed that he had been worried over it. He didn't exactly like being an idiot. And Rico's making him feel even more so didn't help it. Rico repeated the process with a little more grace than necessary.

"...Why must you be so good at everything I'M not?" Nathan asked.

"I'm a ninja." she replied, trying to ease the tension. Nathan stared at her for a moment, then just shook his head, and turned his attention to the ground below them.

"Still a lot of them down there…" he muttered, worried.

"At least it's not 30 plus." she said.

"Rico. There's STILL no way we can take them on. Even if we try, we aren't going to make it...we are going to freaking die…" he said, sounding slightly distant at the last word.

"Then we climb from tree to tree." she said. "We climb 'till were out of sight." She climbed onto the next tree, using its branches never once touching the ground.'Nathan just shook his head again.

"Are you kidding me? There's no way both of us can climb fast enough to get out of a horde of walker's sights!" he said, looking at the screeching corpses, then back at Rico.

"See this tree." she said, pointing at the tree. "It blocks our scent. Can't chase us if they can't smell us." she stated. Nathan tilted his head. He looked at her as though she had three heads.

"How does a tree block the scent of human blood from a herd of thirty walkers?" he asked, suspicious of Rico's claim. He just couldn't see how that was possible.

" You even been hunting? It's the same concept as covering your self with mud, or infected guts. It effectively hides your sent." she said.

"So...why are the walkers not being blocked off by the tree I'm in?" he asked. He was either dense, or very complex. Rico sighed and just figured he was dense.

"You're not in the right type of tree, fucktard." she said. Nathan sighed. He was really hoping she had stopped calling him that. He climbed the interlocking branches, reaching the next tree. The walkers barely took notice. They still clawed, spat and bit at the first tree. "Damn. It actually worked." Nathan said.

"Told you." she said. Nathan nodded. Maybe he COULD trust her.

"Come on, we gotta keep moving." she said, climbing into another tree and setting her hand in the sap of the previous tree. Nathan followed her. When he got to the branch, he seemed to be panicking.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Nathan gripped his arm tightly.

"I-I think I c-cut myself…I can't let them smell the blood." he said, tightening the grip even more.

"Come here let me see." she called, beckoning him over to her. His hand over his cut, he inched his way to Rico. She pried his hand off his arm and saw it was bleeding.

"Here." she stuck her hand in the sap. "This will sting." She ripped off her sleeve. "Bite this." she said shoving, it in his mouth. Nathan didn't have any time to react. Although, he would've preferred to say something like: Why are you putting tree sap onto my bleeding arm?

She put the sap in the cut, pulled off her other sleeve and wrapped it tightly around his arm.

"That will hide the scent of your blood from those things" she said knowing how much it hurt, because she had done it plenty of times. In fact, she was pretty sure she still had some of the sap running through her veins as she spoke. Nathan sighed, his voice sounding shaky.

"Thanks for the warning…" he said, looking over his shoulder. "At least they don't smell us...are walkers blind or something?" he asked.

"From what I know, they act on their sense of hearing and smell." she said.

"Weird…" Nathan murmured.

"Very." she agreed with him.

"So...what's the plan? Go as far as we can, hope we find shelter?" Nathan asked.

"There's an old tree house a few miles north of here. It's sturdy, and it's hidden." she said. Nathan sighed.

"A few more miles of this?" he asked tiredly. He sounded like a whining five year old. His complaining wasn't going to get them anywhere. Apparently, he failed to see that. He failed at a lot of things.

"Here." she said, rifling around in a backpack nathan had failed to notice before. she pulled out a small bag of peanuts and a small bottle of orange juice. Nathan's eyes widened.

"Wh...where did you find this?!" he asked, anxiously.

"The tree house." she said. Nathan was amazed. She had found FOOD.

"How big is the tree house?"

"The size of a small apartment with, like 4 rooms, and plumbing and electricity." she said. Nathan tried to keep from fainting.

"How?!" he asked, perhaps a bit too loudly.

"Shut up!" she hissed, hoping the infected hadn't heard him. "But, if you must know, it was built by the tree house masters crew." she explained.

"Oh, I'm guessing that's a good thing, then?" Nathan asked obliviously.

"Let;s just get there and you'll see for yourself" she said, already heading off. Nathan nodded to himself and followed her. After about an hour of walking they arrived at the treehouse.

"This is...wow." Nathan gazed at the enormous structure. It branched off from the side of the tree it was placed in, and what it did not make up for in size, it made up for with the interior. Lights lit up the inside, flooding the windows and open door. The walls were painted beige, and the roof wasn't damaged. It was amazing.

"This is home sweet home." she said, crashing down on the couch. "It's also your home now." she said. Nathan smirked.

"Didn't think I'd hear those words outta your mouth." he said, laying his gun on the table.

"Well, I'm feeling generous today." she said stretching out.

"What's that supposed to mean? Minute you get tired of me, you're gonna shoot me?"

"No...I find you rather amusing at times" she said. Nathan rolled his eyes.

"As in you like making fun of me." he corrected.

"Not exactly...isolation can make you cold hearted." she said.

"So, what's amusing, then?" Nathan asked.

"You remind me of my own brother…he was a dumbass too." she said. Nathan sighed.

"And aren't you just a little ray of sunshine?" he asked, but didn't get a response out of Rico. "Sorry…" he said, only to find out she fell asleep. He sighed. He sat himself down on the floor, and thought about everything that had happened that day.

He had found a new, useless gun. He had almost been eaten by a ginger walker, (not that gingers are bad), he had found a survivor who enjoyed making him feel like shit, he had almost been killed by a group of about thirty walkers, he had found a tree house with a computer, and he had had his first lesson in parkour.

An accomplishment, he Nathan fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Rico woke up to the sun shining in her face and a cool breeze blowing in from between the floorboards. She looked to the right of the couch and saw Nathan tucked into the corner between the couch and the wall. She had to admit it did look rather uncomfortable. She stretched out in a way that was very similar to a cat, and walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a box of smores poptarts. She pulled 2 packages out of the box and threw one at Nathan (isn't she nice?). Nathan jumped slightly as the pakege hit him between the eyes.

"Hey! I was sleeping!" Nathan muttered.

"I know. If you want to sleep, curl up on the couch with a blanket. It's pretty cold in here in the morning." she said nodding her head toward the couch. For the first time since she met him she actually noticed his appearance. He was wearing a black hoodie, which was a good idea, since infected apparently could not see well. He wore an almost completely white shirt, (almost, because there were a few black splotches of infected blood), and jeans that were ripped slightly in a few places. He had two black, rope-like straps that connected diagonally around his torso, so he could carry his main weapon on his back. He had somewhat long, but still short enough to not be labeled so, ink-black hair, which was messy. It made sense. If you were on the run from the majority of things that could move in the world, you wouldn't exactly find time to stop and comb your hair.

She found herself staring after a few seconds. She snapped out of her trance-like state when he started to look at her like she was crazy.

"Hey, fucktard, where ya from?" she asked, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up. Nathan was slightly confused that she seemed to be slightly red, but he decided he was too tired to ask about it.

"Maine." he replied, still somehow drowsy.

"I'm from Alabama." she replied. "So, what are you doing out here in Gorega, coast boy?" she questioned, adding a new nickname to the already long list. Nathan sighed.

"Well, I was visiting relatives. During the night, some guy broke into the house, and knocked me out. when I woke up, everybody was gone, and there was a walker tryin' to claw his way through the door." he said. He still had nightmares about it. The thing he remembered most was his first glimpse of what a walker looked like. He remembered the jaw, barely clinging to the face, with it's horrid, rotting breath pouring out every time it moaned or screeched. The arms were somewhat long, and very skinny. He could see a humongous gash in one of it's wrists, indicating it died from blood loss, not being bitten. But, it had most likely been eaten up before it could reanimate, explaining the jaw. One of the eyes was rolled back into the head, and the other never blinked. It was bloodshot, with an almost yellow pupil. It darted back and forth, finally settling on the door as it clawed at the hinges, blood pouring from it's open mouth. Rico sighed.

"Well, since you told me, I might as well tell you." she said, sitting on the counter. "Before the world went to shit my folks were in a nursing home out here. My brother Rob and I went to visit em. We were all just sitting there in the cafeteria having a grand old time when the nursing staff came in screaming and hollerin' for everyone to get the elderly out. We didn't know what was going on, but we listened to the staff, because we'd been taught to listen to our elders." her voice trailed off for a moment. Nathan could have sworn she was crying. "My brother and I got out with our parents, only to realize when we got outside, they had died in the panic. I was in tears and my brother he was a big guy he was cryin two. But my ma and pa started to stir down there, on the concrete, and my brother knew instantly what was happening. He was rather obsessed with movies that this happened in. He pulled me away, grabbed his gun and shot them both. I was confused and scared. My brother dragged me through the crowd and to this very tree house." She was in tears now, for the first time, showing Nathan something other than cruelness. She looked out the window at the barn. "We were exploring that old house that you were in when he turned." she said, looking down at her feet, having a hard time forming the words to tell the story. "He said to me: "Take that shovel over there and stab me in the head." He looked me in the eye and I...I just couldn't do it. I couldn't kill the last of my family. Not with him looking at me like that. He pleaded with me." She found it increasingly harder to tell the story. "In that living room, in that house, 4 days after the world went to shit, I killed my own brother with an old rusty shovel. I still see his blood splattered all over my face and hands when I look in the mirror." She picked up the picture frame that was right next to her, her hands shaking and her face streaked with tears.

For the first time, Nathan felt sorry for Rico. Before, she had only appeared to him as a cruel, unforgiving person, who wanted him around for nothing more, and nothing less than his utter stupidity. Now, she was no longer that person. She was someone who had lost everything. Everything she had ever hoped for, everything she had ever worked for, and everything she had ever loved had been taken from her in only four days.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know." he said, although he was fairly sure it wouldn't make her happy.

"I-its in the past...and these days, we can't afford to live in the past. The idiot went and got himself bitten by one of those things." she said setting, the picture face down on the counter. Nathan sighed. That couldn't be true.

"You're wrong. We have to try to remember this kind of thing. If we don't, then what the hell are we holding on to? Your brother kept you alive. And your choice to not remember that is not the way to honor his memory."

"Ok, listen. I'm not saying that we don't remember the past, I'm saying move on but keep the memories in your mind." she spat. Nathan glared at her.

"Sorry for the change in subject, but what the hell have I ever done to you? Seriously, the one time I try to help you, sympathize with you, and you just keep snapping at me?!" Nathan questioned.

"You tell me. If you lost your parents then had to kill your own brother, fight off a horde then survive on your own, and watch those things out there eat your brother's corpse would you be a fucking ray of sunshine to some random person?!" she yelled, not caring anymore if she attracted those things. "I don't fucking think so." She knew getting mad wasn't going to help so, she decided to play some music, in order to get herself to calm down. So she grabbed her guitar and started to play "Old time Rock n' Roll". (look it up on youtube its by bob seger)

Nathan sighed. He was still angry, no doubt about it. He hated her, even though he had quite literally JUST met her. But, he couldn't help but feel bad for her. In the course of 4 days, she lost everything she loved in life. But he still couldn't see why HE had to be the punching bag...she barely knew him. Why did she have to hate him? Once rico had calmed herself down she started again

"Okay, look, I know it may seem like I hate you. But I have just lost everything, so it's kinda to be expected." she said. "If you don't want to be around me, I get it. If you want to leave there's the door." she motioned to the door. Nathan sighed.

"It's just...I don't get it. It's maybe the last time you'll ever find a friend, the last time you might have something back, and you just start abusing it? You start swearing at me, calling me fucktard? Honestly, do you even care anymore?" he asked, not making eye contact with Rico as he did so.

"Why should I care? To survive out there in these days, you have to turn your emotions off. You can't afford to be attached to anything except your survival instincts." she said.

"What would your brother say? What would he say if he knew you DIDN'T even care about anything anymore? Only yourself. What would he say?" Nathan locked eyes with her. She was pissed, to say the least. He would bring her brother into this conversation? Really?

"Thank you for rubbing salt in an already open and deep wound!" she exclaimed. walking into one of the other rooms slamming the door behind her. Nathan simply scowled at the closed door.

""Throw your emotions away." That's what YOU said…" he then turned his attention away from the door, and stared out the window. Rico went from being pissed to being so upset she couldn't think straight, all within 3 seconds. He was right, but he still shouldn't have brought up her brother. She just didn't know wut to do anymore. What would Rob think of me if he saw me right now? He wouldn't be proud...thats for sure. She began to cry for the second time that day.

Meanwhile, Nathan simply sat there. He didn't want to think. And, at this point, he couldn't make himself feel sorry for her. Whether she knew it or not, he was right. She wasn't following her own rules, just using them to beat him down. To make it so that she was always right, and he was always wrong. Nathan jumped slightly when he heard her punch the door and start swearing at the top of her lungs. Rico opened the door and and grabbed the paper towels and started to wipe the blood off the door. Nathan noticed that her knuckles on her right hand was oozing a thick crimson liquid that he had seen enough of in his life. He sighed quietly.

"I'll get some bandages...after that, you an' me gotta have a talk...where do you keep the medical supplies?" he asked.

"Bathroom." she said bluntly as she was scrubbing the door. Nathan stood up and walked into the bathroom. He noticed right away that it HAD to be THE smallest room in the entire house. He reached into a shelf and immediately found a few bandages left in a small package. He brought the package with him back into the living room.

"Alright, I got em'." he said.

"Okay, and what are you trying to accomplish?" she questioned.

"Helping you." he said, somewhat blankly.

"Why? Why would you want to help a self centered jerk who calls you names and threatened to kill you a few times?" she questioned, turning away from the door and facing Nathan. He shrugged.

"Because you need help. I've got a little humanity left." he said, taking out the bandages.

"Why waste it on me?"she asked. "Am I really worth it?" She legitimately wanted to know.

"Yeah, you are. And if you don't think I'm telling the truth, then ask yourself why I'm using precious supplies for you." he answered.

"Do whatever you want, if you feel its right" she said.

"Listen. I know you hate me right now, I know you hate my guts, but you need to fuckin' open your eyes. Honestly, we are in a fucking apocalypse, and you're acting like a freaking child. You do NOT let go of your emotions, THAT is what separates you from a walker! You do NOT blame me for bringing up your dead brother, that was karma! I brought that up because you made me feel like shit. And if you're gonna keep treating me like a caged rat, then I'm gonna keep rubbing salt in the wound. You got it?" Nathan knew it sounded mean, maybe even extreme, but he was fed up with being treated badly. Rico was close to tears by now.

"I'll be back..." she said, grabbing a sharpened baseball bat and exiting the tree house. Nathan nodded. If she wasn't back in ten minutes, he would go look for her.

Ten minutes passed. Rico had not yet returned


	5. Chapter 5

Rico had the baseball bat in her hands. It was broken in some places and covered in blood. Rico herself was in no better a condition. She was broken mentally, physically, she was covered from head to toe in blood. Her breathing was heavy and she was standing in the center of a pile of mangled and headless bodies. Some still trying to reach her. She just didn't care anymore she'd fight till the last breath if she had to. Though she would prefer to eat a bullet then be torn apart and made somethings mean., She knew it had been well over 10 minutes since left and that she should start heading back but she honestly was feeling a lot better just standing there killing these things. She didn't know why, but her pain subsided whenever she killed one. Maybe it was the enjoyment of revenge. Maybe it was her wanting for everything to be back to normal. Maybe she was just crazy

Nathan climbed down from the treehouse. His Lee Enfield gun was loaded and in his hands. He looked from side to side, then behind him. Nothing. That wasn't good. He looked at the soft soil below him. He could see Rico's footprints in the dirt. He nodded.

"Alright…" he said to himself. He checked around him one more time, just to be safe. Again, nothing was following him. This was bad. All the walkers in the area had followed Rico, to wherever she had gone. "Damnit, Rico!" he muttered. He made sure his gun was ready to fire. Check. He had his pocket knife, for worse comes to worst situations. Check. He had the pistol, with one loaded bullet, just in case...he didn't want to think about doing that. He checked off the last thing in his mental list. He ran forward.

Finally, he came to a small clearing in the forest. Nothing was green there. Every bit of grass, every leaf on the ground, every chunk of dirt...was completely covered in black blood. The stench in the air made him want to pass out. He would've, too. If not for the blood-covered figure in front of him.

He couldn't tell if it was a walker or not. It's breathing was heavy, each one sounding like a lion growling. In one of it's hands was a long, black, sharpened stick, dripping with blood. Bodies upon bodies lay in a circle around the figure. The only things that weren't covered in blood were the figures eyes...stormy grey…

"R...Rico…?" he questioned the figure. Rico's head snapped up at the sound of her name being called. She turned around slowly.

"What?" she questioned, noticing it was Nathan. Her voice sounding almost like a thief being questioned by a cop.

Nathan sighed and put his gun on the ground.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" he snapped.

"What the hell was i thinking? i was thinking i need to take my anger out on something..anything But not you. Had you known me before the world when to shit would've have known i had a new punching bag every other day." she replied flicking the blood off the tip of the baseball bat like it was no big deal. " but i wouldn't expect you to know that, And you know what coast boy…" her voice trailed off as she bent down and picked up one of the disembodied heads "i could end you right now if i wanted to with this head then kill you with a legit reason to." she said locking eyes with him "i could have let you die in the barn,pushed you off the roof,dropped you. but i didn't and you bringing up MY brother. So if you want to live i highly suggest that you learn and learn fast not to piss me off or next time this pile of bodies this blood. could be you." threatened rico with a low voice.

"Then maybe I should just LEAVE! Because I've put my trust in you, trusted you with my life, and yet I'm still treated like a stray dog! If you don't want me to bring up your brother, to stand up for myself, then screw this! I'm leaving!" Nathan shouted, turning around. Rico stood there, stunned. Was she really gonna dig this hole? If she didn't want to dig her own grave she might want to change her attitude. Nathan started to walk in the other direction. He was slightly kicking up dirt and blood while walking.

"N-Nathan please don't go" she called after him the events of the past 4 days finally catching up with her. Nathan hesitated, then turned to look at Rico. He had an angry look in his eyes, giving him a very cold stare. rico started to cry and it was a lot more visible this time because of the blood she was covered in

"i dont want to be alone..." she said between sobs. Nathan continued to stare at her, somewhat blankly. He didn't even blink. He just stood there, resent and anger dwelling in his eyes.

"Then start treating people better...no one wants to be alone. So why is it I felt alone the entire time I was with you?" he asked bitterly.

"fine if you don't want anything to do with me then.." she handed him her crossbow "kill me" she looked him in the eyes. The anger that was in them suddenly turned into rage. He took the crossbow and threw it onto the ground behind him.

"DON'T EVER ASK ME TO DO THAT!" he yelled.

"If anyone has the right to kill me its you. i just want to go back to they way it was and be with my brother but if i live thats not gonna happen!" she cried harder

"This is NOT the way the world works now! I am not letting someone else give up like this! What the hell would your brother say if he could see you right now?!"

"well my brother was an ass" her voice trailed off "except when we were visiting our parents so. it be something along the lines of "look at you. you pathetic creature you can't even convince someone to kill you" so there you have it" rico snapped

"And what would you do? Just stand here and take it? Let him insult you, degrade you!? Maybe your brother had it comin'! Think about it!" Nathan snapped back.

"how the fuck do you think i ended up like this? yes i stood there and i took the insults like a fucking man when i should have been on the floor crying!" rico stomped on one of the disembodied heads and it exploded adding to the already huge pile.

Nathan shook his head in disappointment. He didn't know why, but he felt somewhat responsible for Rico. He didn't want her to end up like her brother. In death or in life.

"Rico. Look at me, and think about what happened to your brother. If you keep acting like him, you go down his road. And the end of that road is what happened to him. The road that you go down with me, if you don't act like your brother, doesn't let you die like that. It's your choice." rico didn't respond she just turned and picked up her cross bow and walked back to the tree house. Nathan sighed. He didn't want to leave Rico. But, she seemed to be giving him no other choice.

"uh did you leave the lights on when you left coast boy?" rico called out to nathan. Nathan climbed up the ladder to the tree house.

"No...Rico, get down here. Hide." he said.

"you know me i don't hide" rico responded

"Rico. I need you to hide, RIGHT NOW." Nathan repeated. rico ignored him and climbed up the ladder into the tree house. "RICO!" when rico got to standing fully she found herself looking down the barrel of a 38 revolver

"who are you and why are you in my treehouse?" rico questioned not showing the person any trace of fear. The person in front of her didn't move.

"This is MY tree house now. I think you should just leave."

"if you want a fight then you've got one" rico replied The figure laughed.

"I don't have to fight. I could just shoot you right now."

"you sure about that" rico chuckled "do you really want the blood of a little girl on your hands?" she questioned the figure.

"You think I care? You're not exactly little, you know." the figure said.

"i know" rico used that opportunity to aim her crossbow so if she shot the figure would have an arrow to groin "its called distractions" The figure muttered.

"Not bad."

"i suggest you remove your crossbow from my face or my finger might just slip" she threatened The figure put down the crossbow.

"COAST BOY ITS SAFE GET UR ASS UP HERE" rico called to nathan. Nathan didn't respond. Nor was he where he was before. rico aimed the crossbow at the figure's head

"get down the ladder" she commanded "get your ass down the fucking ladder now befor my finger slips" she was getting tired of this man already. The man raises his arms in the air.

"Ok, I'm goin', I'm goin'." he said. Rico was irritated that nathan did not answer and she'd have to go find him, while making sure this man didn't kill either one of them in the process. The man laughed slightly.

"What, you worried about your friend?"

"i don't have to answer you. i am the one with weapon pointed between your eyes." she stated The man nodded.

"Good point." he said.

"now get moving" rico said The man climbed down. rico did not use the ladder she just jumped and landed in a roll and came up right behind him crossbow aime at his head the whole time. The man laughed again. His voice was very raspy, and he had a strong accent. Probably southern, but it was hard to tell.

"You like to think ahead, don't you?" he asked, almost tauntingly.

"not really. i just don't trust you" she said He shrugged.

"Fair enough."

"NATHAN YOU HERE?" she called Again, there was no answer. rico had a bad feeling about this but against her better judgement she lowered the crossbow. "you try anything and i will shoot you" she said death glaring the man. The man smiled.

"Now why would I do that?" he asked.

"i dont know that you would but your the man who originally had a gun in my face so" she stated. The man was silent for a moment.

"Your friend missing or somethin'? Be a shame if he was bitten, huh?" he asked, smiling evilly.

"now listen here if you had someone in the woods who took nathan i will kill you,then i will hunt your friend down and kill them,then i will find out if you had family and kill them," rico said feeling protective of nathan.

"Oh, so his name's Nathan? Hm. Sounds like one of those guys who can't handle a friggin gun. He good with a weapon? Sounds kinda like he's afraid of touchin' one." the man said.

"you have bigger things to worry about than whether nathan can handle a gun or not.," rico said wiping the crossbow back up between the man's eyes The man nodded, but he obviously wasn't serious.

"Understood." he said.

"you got a name or am i gonna have to call you fucktard" she questioned. The man laughed once more.

"I like your style. I'm Merle." he said.

"well merrel you go friends family a group?" she questioned.

"Damn, ask me what kinda TV I got, why don't ya? I ain't tellin' you shit, girlie." he said. rico reached into her boot and pulled a fully loaded 45

"i know my way around this woods. i could shoot and call every one of these things and then be gone in 2 minutes. i highly suggest you dont piss me off" she threatened The man muttered to himself.

"Fine. I'm alone." he said.

"really. then why has nathan gone missing?" she questioned. she didn't know why but this man remind her of someone who used to hang out with her brother.

"I don't know, the kid's probably stupid." He said, simply shrugging off the idea.

"you remind me of someone who used to hangout with my brother all the time." she said,45 at the ready.

"I don't know! I might've hung out with him, hell, I had a buncha guys I hung out with." Merrell answered, becoming somewhat impatient.

"were not getting anywhere with this" she said eyeing the zombie behind him.

"I agree." Merle turned around, and, seemingly, upper-cut the zombie. The zombie groaned, blood spouting from it's head, and it fell the ground.

"nice i thought i got them all while i was blowing off steam" she said

"Yeah, well, it helps to have this." Merle said, raising one of his hands. It seemed far from it. Where the hand should have been, there was a metal stump, with a large, narrow blade attached to the side. rico whent to say something but had to stop and wipe the blood off her face. Merle stood up. He smirked, somewhat mischievously.

"Lookin' for this?" he said, raising Rico's 45 in his hand. The crossbow was on the ground behind him.

"what the hell that was in my hand" rico said "i knew i should have trusted my gut and killed you when i had the chance." she said glaring daggers at him. He simply sneered at her. He pointed the 45 at Rico.

"Now, let' have a discussion about that tree house." he said. But, before he could speak, again, a gun went off. Merle kneeled on the ground and shouted, clutching his shoulder.

"who did that?" rico questioned looking around "but anyway i need to get in my tree house" She went to grab her stuff.

Someone walked out from the darkness and kicked Merrel in the back, making him face-plant into the mud. rico's head shot up and she looked at the figure cloaked in darkness. The figure took the gun he had and pointed it at Merle.

"Want me to finish him?" Nathan asked.

"nathan you may have just killed you and i along with him. you just atraced every walker for miles" she said "so leave him to walkers and get in the tree house" she said as she began climbing up into the tree house.

"you coming nathan?" she questioned Nathan remained silent, but followed Rico up the ladder. He could hear moaning off in the distance.

"nathan don't EVER do that again. you had me so worried" rico said Nathan climbed into the house.

"I had YOU worried?" he asked.

"yes,yes you did" she turned around and hugged nathan. Nathan was obviously caught off guard. He blushed immensely and stood there, his eyes wider than bowling balls. He looked at Rico, after a few moments.

"Uh….Rico?" he asked, nervously. she didn't respond and just hugged him tighter. He would've stuttered, but his own voice refused to make any sound.

"dont ever leave me like that again" rico sounded like she would cry. Nathan hesitated for a moment. He felt sorry for Rico. He now regretted ever bringing up her brother.

"I won't...I promise." he said.

"good" she said, releasing her semi-death grip on Nathan. Nathan looked at Rico.

"I honestly didn't think you cared at all if I was gone or not…" he said.

"well i do" rico said. Nathan nodded. It was kind of shocking to him.

"i cant help but think that guy has a group or something" rico said trying to change the subject. Nathan shook his head.

"I scouted the area. No one." he stated.

"thats odd" she said

"Kinda, I guess...but, a lot of people are loners now." Nathan replied. rico shrugged "Well, in any case, we should definitely lock up the doors and windows."

"alright" she said. Nathan began to lock the windows from the inside.

"thanks for ya know saving me." rico said her voice barely above a whisper. Nathan turned around. He smirked.

"Sorry, what was that?" he asked.

"t-thanks for saving me" rico said slightly irritated. Nathan nodded.

"That's all I needed to hear." he said, and he resumed locking the windows. rico grabbed a bag of marshmallows off the counter and chucked them at the back of nathan's head. Nathan pretended not to notice. He wanted to see if he could out-last Rico. rico smirked she had quite the plan to get a reaction out of nathan. she walked up behind nathan and tapped him on the shoulder.

"coast boy you got marshmallows in your hair" she said pulling one out of his hair. Nathan sighed.

"I can get them out myself, Rico." he said. Rico continued to pull the marshmallows out of his hair because she could. Nathan, once again, pretended not to notice. It was becoming increasingly difficult, though. Rico got slightly irritated at his lack of reaction so she sat on the couch with a plan brewing in her twisted mind. Nathan walked into the next room and continued locking the windows. He was hoping Rico was done. Rico laid on the floor and kicked the chair over making it look like she fell. Nathan heard the chair fall. He walked back into the room.

"You want help?" he asked.

"no i want you to leave me on the floor" she said sarcasm dripping from her voice. Nathan sighed slightly. As much as he hated it, he couldn't help but sort of enjoy her constant sarcasm. It was one of the last things he found funny. He kneeled on the ground and reached over to Rico. She grabbed his hand and pulled him down. Nathan's eyes widened as he fell. Rico began to laugh harder than nathan had ever seen her laugh. Nathan just blushed, his eyes never blinking.

"just be glad i didn't kiss you" she said between laughs. Nathan sat up on the floor for a moment, completely silent. He then stood up, muttering something unintelligible, and walked out of the room. rico could help but think she upset nathan and sighed.

Nathan finished locking all the windows a few minutes later. He walked into the kitchen.

"We got anything in the cabinets?" he asked, hoping he wasn't just talking to himself. rico shrugged still on the floor. Nathan sighed. He reached out again. This has to be the stupidest thing I've done… he thought to himself. rico took nathans hand and got up. Nathan was slightly surprised she didn't pull him down again. Rico began rifling around in the cabinets

"anything you wanted" she asked.

"Nothing' in particular. Just wondering if we had stuff." he answered.

"k" she pulled out a can of blueberries "y do we have canned blueberries?" she questioned. Nathan shrugged.

"I didn't even know canned blueberries was a thing." Nathan answered.

" you can can just about anything" Rico replied. Nathan just shrugged again. Rico resumed her place on the couch. Nathan opened the can and sat next to Rico.

"U need spoons to eat that" she said. Nathan nodded and walked back into the kitchen. rico watched nathan walk away a slight blush dusting her cheeks. Nathan walked back in with a spoon. rico pretended she didn't watch nathan walk away. Nathan sat back down next to Rico.

"You want anything to eat?" he asked.

"no" rico answered a little too quickly to not seem suspicious. Nathan hesitated for a moment. Rico didn't do a good job of hiding the rather suspicious tone in her voice.

"Okay…" he said.

"im gonna go get some water" she said getting up and going to retrieve the water. Nathan nodded and began to eat. a few minutes later rico walked in with a tall glass of water,but being her she was rather clumsy at times and tripped over her own two feet landing directly on nathan and soaking them both. Nathan stared at Rico.

"A-are you ok?" he asked, blushing.

"y-yeah i think" krico said her previous blush darkening. Nathan continued to stare at Rico. Rico now noticed how bad this would look from an angel and quickly got off nathan. Nathan sat back up.

"nathan do you hear that" rico questioned as voices from below became louder


	6. Chapter 6

Rico seemed genuinely afraid to nathan. Nathan grabbed his gun, which was leaning against the wall next to him, and quietly walked over to the door.

"Be quiet, okay?" he asked, whispering. rico nodded,shaking at the knees.

"Nathan he had a group. i used to be part of it. i-if they find me they will either kill me or drag me back with them" she said grabbing her crossbow. Nathan looked at Rico in the eyes.

"I am NOT letting that happen." he stated. She hugged him

"be careful nathan the main guy is down there and hes very dangerous" she whispered. Nathan nodded and opened the door slightly.

"if you want to cripple the group you want to hit him" she pointed to a medium tall man with brown hair. "thats the governor" she explained.

Carefully, Nathan aimed his gun out the slightly-opened door. It wasn't easy. The gun wouldn't fit very well through the opening.

"here try with the 45" she handed him her gun. Nathan attempted to aim out the door after grabbing it.

"I don't see the guy you're talking about…" he said.

"i have a clear view of him. ill get him" she said aiming the crossbow. Nathan shrugged and backed away from the door.

"fuck theres a blond in the way" she said irritated because the blond girl that came with the governor had moved in the way blocking her shot.

"Uh, Rico...you know you're blond, right?" Nathan asked.

"dirty blond not the shade she is. shes like bleach blond" rico said her catty girl attitude coming into play. Nathan nodded, deciding not to get in the way of it.

"Nathan maybe its not the best idea to shoot any of them.." she said as meerle motioned with his head to the tree house. "shit nathan you should have killed him" she said pulling away from the door.

"Ah, fuck…" Nathan muttered. He knew it. He shouldn't have even asked Rico if he could. He should've just shot him in the head right then and there.

"RICO WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! COME ON OUT AND I WON'T HAVE YOU KILLED" called a commanding and very stern voice.

"I WOULD RATHER BE A WALKER BEFORE I WENT BACK TO THAT PLACE!" rico called back.

"YOUR CHOICE!" the man yelled. He pulled out a pistol and looked over at merle. "Take the rest of our men and surround the house!" he said. Merle nodded and walked to the side of the tree house with four other people, who then took their positions elsewhere on the perimeter.

"this is crazy gov. you can't really be planning on killing her! from what i've heard she just a little girl" the blonde tried to reason with him. The man called "the governor" shook his head.

"She ISN'T a little girl! She's taken down her fair share of those things, and she is dangerous! Do you understand?" he snapped.

"Yeah so have i. Does that mean the moment i decide to leave your gonna kill me?" she snapped back with an even angrier tone. The governor sighed.

"She's too dangerous to not have on our side. And it's her choice. She'd rather be dead than with us? Fine."

"maybe i can reason with her?" the girl pleaded. The governor shook his head again.

"We didn't come all this way to REASON, Andrea. It ends here." he said, glancing at the tree house. He caught a glimpse of nathan through the window. Nathan was pointing the Lee Enfield at the governor.

"Nathan what are you doing?" rico called worried "if he sees you he can blackmail me into going with him!" rico said.

"He's not gonna live to do that…" he murmured, getting ready to pull the trigger. the governor aimed his gun and shot right next to nathan's head.

"YOU MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK YOUR CHOICE RICO OR YOUR FRIEND HERE WILL DIE TO" called the governor

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! GET UP HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!" Nathan shouted back.

"WILL YOU PROMISE NOT TO HURT HIM?" rico called back down to the governor, giving nathan an apologetic look.

"Rico...Rico, don't." Nathan said.

"i couldn't bare it if you died nathan" she said "IF I GO BACK TO WOODBURY WITH YOU WILL YOU PROMISE TO NOT HURT HIM?" rico called to the governor again. Before the governor could respond, a gunshot went off. The tree house shook slightly. rico looked around in panic. Nathan was glaring out the window. Outside, the governor was kneeling on the ground, gripping his leg.

"Nathan i could have gotten us out of this without bloodshed." rico called as the tree house was getting shot at.

"He deserved it, now get down!" Nathan said.

"i give you a fools marks for bravery" she said as she hit the floor. she saw that the gas tank was punctured "SHIT NATHAN WE GOTTA GET OUT OR WE WILL BLOW UP" She said in a panic. Nathan swore under his breath.

"You get out first, I'll cover you!" he said. she grabbed nathan

"we go together" she said in a tone that left no room for argument. Nathan hesitated.

"...fine!" he said. rico threw the door open and jumped pulling nathan with her as the tree house blew up. Nathan got up as they landed and looked around.

"Looks like they left!" he said.

"they didn't they just took cover" she said finding it slightly hard to get up. Nathan helped her to stand.

"i think i landed wrong" she said fighting to keep the tears back.

"Okay, don't worry, we'll get you somewhere safe." Nathan said, trying to get her to stand correctly.

"Nathan we have no other choice. the only place in miles with working medical equipment is woodbury." she said.

"That's where these bastards came from?" Nathan asked.

"thats were i came from" rico said "but yeah. weather you like it or not. im not gonna make it if we don't go." she said looking at her leg that was covered in blood "the wond will get infected and i wont make it. nathan i don't like it as much as you dont but its our only chance. i know how to escape i've done it before so after i'm healed we can get out again." rico said. Nathan sighed in frustration. After what seemed to Nathan like hours, he nodded.

"Fine. But the moment they try to hurt you, I'm blowing their fucking heads off." he whispered.

"ok….babe" she said teasingly. Nathan blushed.

"Uh…" he stuttered slightly.

"relax im just teasing." rico said.

"R-right, okay…" Nathan said, still nervous.

"GOVERNOR I KNOW YOU'RE STILL HERE." rico called the pain flooding her voice. Nathan panicked.

"Are you crazy, we don't want him to hear us!" he said, his voice raised from a whisper.

"nathan if i dont medical attention ill die of an infection" rico said.

"We can get there through the blond girl, she and the governor were arguing, she can help us! The governor will kill us on sight!" Nathan insisted.

"ok well do you know her name?" rico questioned the wound taking its toll on her.

"No, do you?" Nathan replied.

"do you think if i did id be calling the governor?" rico questioned. Nathan sighed.

"Well, let's look for her, then." he said. rico nodded her energy slowly draining.

Nathan helped her walk, and they began to search the area.

"nathan…..set me down" rico said her vision fading in and out. Nathan set her down onto the ground. rico grabbed a knife that had been dropped by one of the governor's men and cut her pants leg about the wound and tied it tightly around the wound before it all went black.


	7. Chapter 7

Nathan began to break down into tears.

"Rico...Rico, wake up!" he pleaded. Rico remained silent. There was a long moment of silence. Every other sound in the world faded. Nathan couldn't hear the animals. He couldn't hear the fire roaring in the treehouse. He couldn't even hear his own heartbeat. Everything was quiet. He sat on the ground, against a tree, and began to look around. It was a strange feeling that came over him. Everything was slightly blurry, and darker than it should have been. His vision grew hazy. The air around him seemed to get thinner, but he could somehow still breath. Suddenly, a figure stepped into his view. A familiar voice spoke out.

"So...this was your plan?" It was the governor's voice.

Nathan could feel his heart pounding. It was faster than ever before. His vision went slightly red. He felt a rage swell up inside of him, an anger that burned brighter than the flames in the treehouse. It was like there was a bomb somewhere in Nathan.

That bomb went off.

He leaped at the governor, who barely had time to react as Nathan kicked him to the ground. Nathan stood, with one foot on the ground, and one foot on the governor's chest.

"I...WILL...KILL YOU!" Nathan yelled, stomping on the governor's chest, and knocking the wind out of him. The governor coughed. Nathan stomped again, and again, and again. Each bit of his rage was put into every stomp. He wanted to make the governor's heart stop, to break his ribs, to annihilate him! He wanted him to know REAL pain, to die in the most horrible way possible, to die the way Nathan wanted, not the way he wanted. After what seemed like an eternity, Nathan stopped stomping. The governor leaned to the side, and coughed up blood. He looked up at Nathan with a terrified look in his eyes.

Nathan pulled a knife from his pocket. It was broken slightly, so it had a very jagged and sharp end. He looked at the governor with a twisted, almost psychopathic look in his eyes.

"I'm your worst fucking nightmare, man...you think your problem is the walkers, you think your problem is Rico? I'm-" Nathan stopped. He wished he hadn't said Rico's name. He couldn't know for sure, but Nathan felt convinced that Rico might not make it.

The rage returned to Nathan. It was like a lit torch, re-ignited. He looked at the governor with the most frightening look he could give. The anger was boiling inside him, a blindness overtook him, a blind, unforgiving rage. He thrust the knife downwards, stabbing the governor in the arm, and seemingly pinning him to the ground. The governor yelled out in pain. Nathan's face was emotionless, staring down at the blood spouting from the governor's arm.

"Lie there until the fucking world ends, bastard." he said, kicking the governor.

"hey..kid if you don't let us take you and her back to woodbury shes not gonna make it" andrea said slowly approaching nathan. Nathan's head swivelled, very quickly, and looked at Andrea.

"Take her there. Make sure she gets treatment. I've got some unfinished business…" he said, looking back down at the governor.

"kid dont you think she would want you to be the first person she saw when she wakes up?" andrea questioned him. Nathan thought for a moment.

"Yeah, I'll go." he said, deciding all together that he had his fun already.

"ok. just come away from the governor pleas." she said. Nathan looked at the governor once more.

"...tell him to go to Hell when he wakes up." he said, and he walked over to Rico.

"do you want to bring her to the car or should i" andrea questioned not daring to go near rico without nathan's permission.

"I will." Nathan said.

"ok. follow me" andrea said walking back to the car. Nathan lifted up Rico and followed Andrea. Andrea opened the back door on the drivers side of the car so nathan could put rico in. Nathan did so, without ever saying a word or making a sound. Andrea go to the drivers seat and drove back to woodbury.

Nathan was quiet the entire drive. they reached woodbury and got rico the treatment she needed.


	8. Chapter 8

A few days passed, and Rico was not yet awake. The first day, Nathan walked around a bit. He was silent the entire time, though. He never spoke, and he barely acknowledged anybody. He just examined the buildings. The second day, he just sat in one of the houses, thinking to himself. He was like that for about three more days. He never said a word. His breathing was much less noticeable. He never had a weapon or his gun. He just sat there, and thought. There was a knock on the door. after about 4 days of nathan just sitting there and thinking. Nathan looked to the door. Why bother? he asked himself. He didn't see the point in talking to anybody. Well...it could be news about Rico… he decided. He got up and walked over to the door.

"You can come in." he said. Andrea walked in

"shes awake." andrea said not venturing far from the door.

"She is?" Nathan asked, his eyes widening. Andrea nodded

"yeah" she replied. Nathan immediately pushed past Andrea and walked out the front door. Andrea watched nathan walk out he was like a different person.

Nathan walked up to the hospital. It was small. Not exactly a hospital, but the closest to one available. he could hear voices yelling at someone to sit back down.

"Hey! Anyone I know here?" Nathan asked, somewhat loudly so everyone could hear him.

"coast boy?" rico called not quite believing what she was hearing because she thought her wouldnt be caught dead in woodbury. Nathan walked into the room.

"Rico?" Nathan asked, his eyes lighting up slightly. Rico ran out of the hospital and hugged nathan

"i didn't think you would come to woodbury nathan." Surprising even to himself, Nathan hugged Rico.

"I would find a way in anyway..." he said.

"you can't be out here get back inside miss" said a nurse

"are you aware of the fact i could kill you a flick of the wrist?" rico asked and the nurse swallowed thickly and walked away. Nathan smiled.

"And still you threaten people." he said, sighing a bit as he did so.

"i am not going to let woodbury change who i am." rico replied. Nathan nodded silently.

"i just want to get out of this fucking town" rico complained. Nathan sighed.

"Me too, but we just have to wait it out. Plus, I'm not sure if that governor guy is still alive, so we'll have to see if he has a say in this." Nathan said.

"he always has a say." rico spat.

"Well, if he does, he's gonna have me freakin' executed." Nathan said, somewhat quietly.

"when i can get up and not be dizzy well find a way out." rico replied. Nathan nodded.

"You gotta go back in?" he asked.

"probably" rico responded.

"Mind if I come in? Or is it against the crappy rules?"

"i don't care if its against the rules you're coming with me." rico said, leaving no room for argument. Nathan nodded happily. rico dragged him in with her.

"Kind of a weird place, crappy wallpaper." Nathan noted, getting sort of off-track. It was the first time he had talked, or really even examined anything in a few sat on her bed. Nathan sat on the ground next to the bed, and looked around more.

"uhg i hope they don't come up with more reasons to keep me here,if the do im gonna kill them all." rico growled thinking aloud.

"Calm down, thinkin' like that is only gonna make this situation of ours worse. I'm already wanted, probably. Wonder how big my bounty is…" Nathan trailed off, slightly shocked by the fact that we was technically a criminal.

"trust me the sooner we get out the better." rico said. Nathan nodded, absently.

The next morning, Nathan was reluctant to leave the building he was staying in. Paranoia had set in, and he feared that the governor would be looking for him.

"I'm not leaving. Not while he's gonna be looking for me." he muttered to himself. Rico had been released from the hospital so she went to find nathan so they could get their weapons and leave. Rico walked head first into someone.

"Hey watch where you're standing" rico said.

"And YOU watch what you say." The Governor glared at Rico. He had a large, white bandages wrapped around his shoulder.

"im getting my friend and were leaving,but I WANT OUR STUFF before we leave. you get me the stuff and i will take nathan and leave peacefully." rico said shooting the governor a glare that matched his. The governor sneered.

"Nathan refused to give up his weapon, and he wouldn't tell us the location of yours. Now you tell him, if he's a smart man, he'll sleep with one eye open." The governor said. With that, he pushed past Rico and walked off in the other direction. rico followed

"if you hurt nathan i will unleash pain on you ten times worse than you do nathan." rico governor turned around and looked at Rico.

"I told you. Watch what you say." he rounded the corner and walked away. Rico resumed her search for nathan.

Nathan looked out one of the upstairs windows. He had a gun in his hand, in case anything bad, most likely caused by the governor, were to happen. He was scanning the streets, looking for the governor or his forces.

"Where the fuck are you…" he whispered. rico opened the door and it hit the wall with a loud bang. Nathan panicked and quickly turned around, his gun pointed ahead.

"hey coast boy you in here?" rico called. Nathan lowered his gun and sighed.

"Yeah!" he called back. Rico walked upstairs.

"the governor threatened you so i threatened him. oh and by the way can i have my stuff so we can get out pleas" rico said. Nathan nodded.

"Your weapon is right here." he said, handing her the 45. "Mine is in the closet. You need any more ammo, this place had a ton."

"crossbow?" she questioned wanting her crossbow. Nathan motioned to under the bed. Rico grabbed it.

"k nathan lets get out of this place now." rico said strapping her crossbow to her back. Nathan grabbed his gun from the closet.

"So, what exactly did the governor say?" he asked nervously.

"you better sleep with one eye open. and i replied with if you hurt nathan i will unleash pain on you ten times worse" she said. Nathan sighed.

"I think we just made a new enemy…" he muttered.

"he was my enemy the day i wanted to leave." she stated.

"Yeah, he was mine the day I stabbed him in the arm with a rusty old knife." Nathan said, somewhat plainly.

"anyway i know a way out of this god forsaken town. theres a few wooden planks in the fence that aren't bolted down. if memory serves me they are behind this house." rico said.

"Good. Hopefully no one's watching us." Nathan hoped he didn't just say something all too late.

"come on if we go out that window thats facing the fence downstairs we should be able to get out without drawing attention to ourselves." rico said heading downstairs. Nathan followed her, looking from side to side. He couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. His paranoia was not without reason...No. Stop being ridiculous. he thought to himself. The governor has no idea where we are, nothing can go wrong.

"remember nathan this is woodbury. expect the unexpected." rico stated. Nathan sighed, and nodded solemnly. He knew it was true. He had to expect a trick, or even an ambush. He just really wished it wasn't the truth. "make sure the safety on you gun is off" rico said climbing out the window.

"It always is." Nathan said, following Rico out the window.

"ok" rico said spotting the few wooden planks "there" she pointed to them. Nathan nodded.

"How do we get there without being seen?" he asked, keeping his tone down to a whisper.

"the house is fairly large so it should provide some sort of cover." rico said looking back at the house.

"You sure? Anyone with a gun has a clear shot at us." he said.

"the only weapons in woodbury are on the front side of the fence" rico said.

"Just being careful." he said.

"i get it." rico responded. Nathan sighed. He felt slightly disappointed with himself. rico moved slowly toward the planks. Nathan followed, making sure his gun was ready.

"be ready for anything nathan" rico said as she approached the planks. Nathan nodded silently. rico began to move the planks. Nathan looked from side to side. No one. Not yet.

"nathan were good to go" rico said as she slipped through the gap in the fence. Nathan began to slip through as well.

Suddenly, a gunshot went off. Nathan felt a surge of pain go through his arm.

"NATHAN" rico called pulling her 45 out. Nathan gripped his arm. He could feel blood begin rushing to the wound. "nathan come on let's get away from here" rico said ready to shoot anything that stood between her and nathan. Nathan slipped through the gap and ran to Rico. rico grabbed his hand and began to run through the forest.

"i am going to kill the governor." rico stated. Nathan barely heard her. His vision was becoming blurred. Everything sounded somewhat distant. The only thing he could focu on was the gunshot in his arm, and the pain of the distance rico could see a large buliding. Nathan looked up.

"What...what about there?" he asked quietly.

"its as good a place as any" she said. Nathan nodded. His vision was now darkening. "Nathan? hang in there" rico pleaded. Nathan looked at Rico for a moment.

"Rico...I…" Nathan was cut short as he blacked out


	9. Chapter 9

Rico looked at nathan and tried to catch him as his legs crumpled underneath him.

"Nathan?" she shook him "fucktard?...coast boy?!" rico shook him hard hoping he would wake up. "dont do this to me. don't you die on me. i didn't die on you. your not allowed to die." rico said. rico looked back they were close to the building close enough she could tell it was a prison. but what discouraged her was the fact that the yard was full of walkers and their was no way she could get nathan through it in the state he was in. "there's no way i can get him there with the condition he's in" rico said aloud feeling defeated. rico looked at the ground trying to figure out how she could get nathan through the courtyard.

A car could be heard not far away. It was driving somewhat slow, most likely using caution, as not to hit walkers. rico picked her head up and looked around frantically thinking it was the governor. The car was closer now. Two voices could be heard, talking to each other. One was male, the other female. It would've sounded normal, if not for the fact that cars barely ever drove now. The two people in the car became silent as the vehicle approached. rico grabbed her 45 just incase she swallowed thickly ready to protect nathan to the last breath. The car's headlights came into view. rico sat there finger just barely above the trigger of her gun. she looked around and realized she was screwed in a firefight there was absolutely no cover and the walkers would hear and come running.

The car stopped. There was slight conversation, and one person exited the vehicle. He had a gun, maybe a 45. He looked around, and spotted the walkers in the yard. Rico was slightly relieved that it wasn't the governor but for all she knew he could have been working for the governor. He motioned to the other person and said something that Rico couldn't hear. The other person got out of the car, with a knife and a slightly larger gun in her hands. rico put her gun away she might be stubborn but she didn't have a death wish. The female figure turned and looked directly at Rico. Rico moved more in front of nathan just incase. The figure stared at them for a moment. She then looked at the male figure. What she said was very quiet, but could still be heard from a distance.

"Glen! How the hell did you miss those two?" she asked quietly, pointing to Rico and Nathan. "You know we have to search thoroughly, what if they're armed?" The male figure sighed.

"Sorry, Maggie…" he muttered. rico watched their conversation with uncertain eyes all that mattered to her right now was that nathan was safe and the bleeding had stopped. The female figure looked back over at Rico. She waved slightly, testing if Rico was hostile or not. rico didn't quite know what to do some people acted friendly and then they werent. it had happened to her before they could help nathan. i should let them know i'm friendly rico thought she waved back slightly. The female figure walked, cautiously, toward Rico.

"What happened?" she asked, motioning to Nathan.

"he got shot by some ass in woodbury while we were escaping." rico said moving closer to nathan. The figure nodded.

"Well, we've got a group in the prison. We have some supplies." she said.

"i had a place to call home but the governor fucking blew it up with all my supplies still inside." rico said hate dripping from her voice at the mention of the governor. The girl's eyes widened.

"The governor? Damn, that's where you were…" she muttered, stomping her foot on the ground slightly.

"i'm assuming you've met him before." rico said. The girl nodded.

"You could say that…" she muttered, anger in her voice.

"looks like we both got somethin in common we both hate the governor." rico said.

"He the guy who shot your friend?"

"im pretty sure considering he did quite the number on the governor" rico said.

"Did he? What kind of number, like physically or callin' him names? The guy's crazy, he'd be pissed off at either one." she said, crossing her arms.

"he stabbed him in the shoulder thats all i remember because i blacked out" rico said trying to remain calm. The girl nodded.

"I'm Maggie. You?"

"rico and this" she nodded at nathan "is nathan" rico was pretty sure she'd regret telling maggie nathan's name later. Maggie looked back at the car.

"Well...get in, I guess." she said, walking back to the vehicle. rico stood up and pulled one of nathan's arms over her shoulder and walked over to the car. Nathan's eyes opened, somewhat. rico opened the back door on the passenger's side and set nathan in it then shut the door and went around to the other side and got in her self. Nathan was trying to look at Rico, but he seemed too tired to lift his own switched the safety on her 45 back on. Finally, Nathan lifted his head and looked at Rico.

"nathan?" rico questioned not believing her eyes. Nathan sighed out of exhaustion.

"Rico…" he murmured.

"yeah" rico answered.

"Where...where are we...going?" he asked.

"somewhere safe nathan" rico said. Nathan nodded slowly. He closed his eyes again. rico brushed some of his hair out of his face

"sleep well nathan" she said.

A few minutes later, the car stopped.

"Alright, can Nathan walk out of the car on his own?" Maggie asked.

"i think hes asleep" rico said.

"Well, he can't stay out here, not unless he likes being eaten by walkers. Now, either he's staying or coming with us." she said, losing patience.

"i'll see if i can get him up" rico said slightly irritated. she shook nathan's shoulder "hey fucktard get up" she said. Nathan opened his eyes.

"Hm? What...what's happening, again?" he asked tiredly.

"do you think you can walk nathan?" she asked.

"I...I think, yeah." he said.

"you heard him. he thinks he can walk" rico said looking at maggie. Maggie nodded, and she and Glen exited the car.

"come on nathan." rico said getting out of the car. Nathan stood up, and winced as he closed the car door.

"you sure you don't need any help?" rico asked walking over to nathan's side. Nathan sighed and gripped his arm.

"Once I get this fucking bullet out, I'll be fine…" he said.

"ok. lets go" she said walking toward the door to the prison. Nathan followed, struggling to walk.

" you sure you don't need any help" rico questioned. Nathan shook his head.

"I'll be fine…" he slumped against the wall of the grabbed one of nathan's arms and draped it over her shoulder

"you can walk my ass" rico said. Nathan sighed.

"S-sorry…" he said. rico rolled her eyes and walked into the prison kinda dragging nathan beside her. Nathan wasn't exactly helping, given the fact that he could barely walk.

"maggie you guys got a place i can set him down?" rico questioned. Maggie looked around.

"Anywhere's good, I guess. I'd go for the cells." she said, walking into the other room.

"guess you're sleeping in a cell coast boy." rico said. Nathan nodded.

"Could be worse." he muttered. rico walked over to a cell and et nathan on one of the beds.

"sleep well coast boy" she said.

"Where are you gonna go? A prison isn't exactly the best place to let your guard down." Nathan said, regaining some of his voice.

"to meet the rest of the group" rico said starting to walk away. Nathan grabbed her arm.

"Promise me you'll be safe." he said.

"i will i promise" she smiled slightly. Nathan nodded and let go of Rico's arm. she walked away.


	10. Chapter 10

Rick looked down at the knife in his hand. He sighed, exhausted. HE had just finished his routine of clearing the fence, and he did not want to deal with newcomers. But, it seemed he had no other choice at the moment. He was the leader of this group, he had people. People he was responsible for, people he tried to keep safe. If there was any chance the newcomers would endanger his people, he'd shoot. End of it. Nothing much else to do about them. Rick nodded and put the knife back into his pocket. He looked around, to see if anybody had come with more news on the two newcomers. No one. He had heard one of them was wounded, but he feared it might be more. What if they were bitten? Bullet. What if they were a threat? Bullet. What if they...Never mind. Rick thought to himself. He had to remain calm through this. If he was going to be responsible about this, he couldn't be worrying so much. Everything was to be considered. But, there is a line between consideration and paranoia. A thin line, yes. But still a line. He stood up and walked down the cold, hard staircase, to the first floor. Rico didn't really want to leave Nathan but in order to prove they weren't a threat she had knew Nathan had been shot. But they might not believe her she had to hope that they did.

Rick noticed Rico, walking out the open cell door. He put his hand on his gun, in case he had to draw it, and draw it fast.

"You two alone?" he asked. Rico deiced diplomacy was the best option here

"Yes sir"she replied calmly. Rick nodded.

"What's his injury? Cut? It's not a bite, right?" he asked suspiciously. He knew how quickly people could get themselves to believe that a bite wouldn't take effect, but he knew the reality of it. If your bit, you turn. No exception.

"He's not bit. He got shot." Rico said.

"Who shot him? And did they follow you?" Rick questioned.

"I'm not quite sure who shot him. But I do have a guess as to who it was based on where were. I believe the governor shot him. And I have no idea if we were followed."Rico replied truthfully. Rick nodded.

"Names?"

"Rico and Nathan. " Rico replied. Rick sighed.

"You can stay here the night. If you wanna contribute, you can stay longer. I've got important things I gotta tend to…" Rick walked back up the staircase, muttering the words: "The governor…" Rico was relieved they might just help Nathan. She turned and walked back into the cell and sat next to Nathan. Nathan looked up.

"Hey, Rico…" he said, his voice still sounding somewhat quiet, as if it hurt to speak.

"We can stay the night and if were willing to contribute we can stay longer. You would have gotten a kick out of it I was being civil."Rico told Nathan. Nathan laughed slightly. But, this wasn't the best idea. He gripped his arm again.

"When can we get this damn thing out?" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"I don't know Nathan." Rico replied. Nathan sighed, calming himself down.

"Okay...do we know any of these people? We met Maggie, you met someone, but do we know anything about them?" he asked, wanting to make sure they weren't in danger.

"Not really but from the way they reacted hearing the governor was involved I can infer that they hate him. " she said. Nathan nodded, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, I'm not his biggest fan either." he said.

"Nathan the man from earlier the one I just met might think u got bitten." She said.

"Then we'll just show him the wound, it's not a bite." Nathan said, sounding rather defensive.

"Nathan calm down." Rico said. Nathan remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay...just...I am NOT letting him think that. What if you end up getting hurt, and it isn't a bite. He isn't gonna try to put you down, and if he does, I swear…" Nathan trailed off.

"Nathan calm down. don't worry i'm not stupid enough to get bit. and you need to rest." Rico said sounding a little like she was Nathan's mother. Nathan nodded, somewhat reluctantly, and attempted to sleep.

"I wish he wouldn't worry about me so much." Rico thought aloud. Nathan, sleepily, tried to respond.

"I'm doing the work, why're you complaining…?" Nathan questioned

"Nathan what did i tell you? .sleep" Rico said a bit more sternly this time putting her hands on her hips. Nathan was already one step ahead. "He's just that stubborn that you'd think we were related" she said not to anyone in-particular.

"So...he's not bit?" a child's voice asked from outside the cell. Rico looked over at the person

"No he's not." she responded

"Good." the voice said. Rico went back to making sure Nathan was actually asleep.

"You do believe me that he wasn't bit, right?" she questioned. There was slight hesitation in the child's response.

"...yes." he finally said. Rico nodded she felt like she was gonna cry but,she didn't know why. "I'm Carl." the voice said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Rico he's Nathan." she said. The child nodded from outside the cell. There was a long moment of silence.

"He's shot?" Carl asked.

"yeah" Rico replied.

"Who shot him?"

"Im pretty sure it was the Governor." Rico said. Carl held his breath for a moment.

"You met him?" he asked.

"twice. both times in woodbury both times i ran way" Rico's voice trailed off " I'm not runn' the next time i see. the next time hes goin' down after what he did to Nathan….i'm gonna kill him" she growled out in a threatening tone of voice.

"You two related? You and Nathan?"

"Nah" Rico said her accent finally showing itself.

"You from the south?"

"Yeah" Rico said. Carl didn't answer. He wasn't quite sure what to say. He never had been one for conversation, ever since his mother died. an uncomfortable silence settled in.

"I should, uh...go n' help my Dad." Carl said, walking to the staircase, and up to the second floor. rico leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. really my accent showed up now of all times?! she thought to started to hum the song hotel california by aced for her guitar to me in her hands right now her fingers itched to strum those oh so familiar strings. to let the music she created take her back to a time long ago. but that wouldn't happen now the governor destroyed that way of getting back to the old days.

Suddenly, multiple gun shots could be heard from outside. Rick ran down the staircase and looked into the cell.

"Were you followed?!" he asked, urgently.

"i don't know" Rico replied "but if i was ill gladly help you" she added as an after thought. Rick nodded.

"Grab whatever weapon or firearm you have and get out there!" Rick ran out the entrance. rico grabbed her 45 and crossbow and followed Rick out the entrance.

Rick and Rico ran to the fence, where Carl, Glen, and someone else had guns to it. But, there was no one to shoot at.

"What are you doing?!" Rick asked. Carl looked up at him.

"Sorry, Dad. False alarm, Glen dropped our knife on the other side of the fence, so we had to shoot our way through." he explained. Glen seemed to refuse to make eye contact with Rick. Rick sighed, frustration rattling his voice.

"Next time somethin' like this happens, send someone to tell me." he snapped, walking back to the prison. Rico walked back to the prison to go make sure Nathan didn't have a heart attack or something. Nathan was sitting up in the bed, his eyes wide, and he was breathing hard.

"What happened?!" he asked, panic in his voice. rico walked in

"lay back down it was a false alarm." she replied trying to calm nathan's nerves.

"False alarm?! Five shots went off!"

a knife got dropped on the other side of the fence and they had to shoot their way through. its fine nathan." she said glad he wasn't awake to hear her accent earlier. Nathan sighed, trying not to seem on-edge.

Rick looked down at the knife in his hand. He sighed, exhausted. HE had just finished his routine of clearing the fence, and he did not want to deal with newcomers. But, it seemed he had no other choice at the moment. He was the leader of this group, he had people. People he was responsible for, people he tried to keep safe. If there was any chance the newcomers would endanger his people, he'd shoot. End of it. Nothing much else to do about them. Rick nodded and put the knife back into his pocket. He looked around, to see if anybody had come with more news on the two newcomers. No one. He had heard one of them was wounded, but he feared it might be more. What if they were bitten? Bullet. What if they were a threat? Bullet. What if they...Nevermind. Rick thought to himself. He had to remain calm through this. If he was going to be responsible about this, he couldn't be worrying so much. Everything was to be considered. But, there is a line between consideration and paranoia. A thin line, yes. But still a line. He stood up and walked down the cold, hard staircase, to the first floor. Rico didn't really want to leave nathan but in order to prove they weren't a threat she had knew nathan had been shot. But they might not believe her she had to hope that they did.

Rick noticed Rico, walking out the open cell door. He put his hand on his gun, in case he had to draw it, and draw it fast.

"You two alone?" he asked. Rico deced diplomacy was the best option here

"Yes sir"she replied calmly. Rick nodded.

"What's his injury? Cut? It's not a bite, right?" he asked suspiciously. He knew how quickly people could get themselves to believe that a bite wouldn't take effect, but he knew the reality of it. If your bit, you turn. No exception.

"He's not bit. He got shot." Rico said.

"Who shot him? And did they follow you?" Rick questioned.

"I'm not quite sure who shot him. But I do have a guess as to who it was based on where were. I believe the governor shot him. And I have no idea if we were followed."rico replied truthfully. Rick nodded.

"Names?"

"Rico and Nathan. " rico replied. Rick sighed.

"You can stay here the night. If you wanna contribute, you can stay longer. I've got important things I gotta tend to…" Rick walked back up the staircase, muttering the words: "The governor…" rico was relieved they might just help nathan. She turned and walked back into the cell and sat next to nathan. Nathan looked up.

"Hey, Rico…" he said, his voice still sounding somewhat quiet, as if it hurt to speak.

"We can stay the night and if were willing to contribute we can stay longer. You would have gotten a kick out of it I was being civil."rico told nathan. Nathan laughed slightly. But, this wasn't the best idea. He gripped his arm again.

"When can we get this damn thing out?" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"I don't know nathan." Rico replied. Nathan sighed, calming himself down.

"Okay...do we know any of these people? We met Maggie, you met someone, but do we know anything about them?" he asked, wanting to make sure they weren't in danger.

"Not really but from the way they reacted hearing the governor was involved I can infer that they hate him. " she said. Nathan nodded, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, I'm not his biggest fan either." he said.

"Nathan the man from earler the one I just met might think u got bitten." She said.

"Then we'll just show him the wound, it's not a bite." Nathan said, sounding rather defensive.

"Nathan calm down." Rico said. Nathan remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay...just...I am NOT letting him think that. What if you end up getting hurt, and it isn't a bite. He isn't gonna try to put you down, and if he does, I swear…" Nathan trailed off.

"nathan calm down. don't worry i'm not stupid enough to get bit. and you need to rest." rico said sounding a little like she was nathan's mother. Nathan nodded, somewhat reluctantly, and attempted to sleep.

"I wish he wouldn't worry about me so much." Rico thought aloud. Nathan, sleepily, tried to respond.

"I'm doing the work, why're you complaining…?" Nathan questioned

"Nathan what did i tell you? .sleep" Rico said a bit more sternly this time putting her hands on her hips. Nathan was already one step ahead. "He's just that stubborn that you'd think we were related" she said not to anyone imparticular.

"So...he's not bit?" a child's voice asked from outside the cell. rico looked over at the person

"No he's not." she responded

"Good." the voice went back to making sure Nathan was actually asleep.

"You do belive me that he wasn't bit, right?" she questioned. There was slight hesitation in the child's response.

"...yes." he finally said. Rico nodded she felt like she was gonna cry but,she didn't know why. "I'm Carl." the voice said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Rico he's Nathan." she said. The child nodded from outside the cell. There was a long moment of silence.

"He's shot?" Carl asked.

"yeah" Rico replied.

"Who shot him?"

"Im pretty sure it was the Governor." Rico said. Carl held his breath for a moment.

"You met him?" he asked.

"twice. both times in woodbury both times i ran way" rico's voice trailed off " Im not runn' the next time i see. the next time hes goin down after what he did to nathan….i'm gonna kill him" she growled out in a threatening tone of voice.

"You two related? You and Nathan?"

"Nah" Rico said her accent finally showing itself.

"You from the south?"

"Yeah" Rico said. Carl didn't answer. He wasn't quite sure what to say. He never had been one for conversation, ever since his mother died. an uncomfortable silence settled in.

"i should,uh...go n' help my dad." Carl said, walking to the staircase,and up to the second leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

_really my accent showed up now of all times?! _she thought to herself she started to the song Hotel California by Engels. Rico aced for her guitar to be in her hands right now, her fingers itched to strum those oh so familiar strings. to let the music she created take her back to a time long ago,but that wouldn't happen now. the governor had destroyed that way of getting back to the old days.

Suddenly, multiple gun shots could be heard from outside. Rick ran down the staircase and looked into the cell.

"Were you followed?!" he asked, urgently.

"i don't know" Rico replied "but if i was ill gladly help you" she added as an after thought. Rick nodded.

"Grab whatever weapon or firearm you have and get out there!" Rick ran out the entrance. rico grabbed her 45 and crossbow and followed Rick out the entrance.

Rick and Rico ran to the fence, where Carl, Glen, and someone else had guns to it. But, there was no one to shoot at.

"What are you doing?!" Rick asked. Carl looked up at him.

"Sorry, Dad. False alarm, Glen dropped our knife on the other side of the fence, so we had to shoot our way through." he explained. Glen seemed to refuse to make eye contact with Rick. Rick sighed, frustration rattling his voice.

"Next time somethin' like this happens, send someone to tell me." he snapped, walking back to the prison. Rico walked back to the prison to go make sure Nathan didn't have a heart attack or something. Nathan was sitting up in the bed, his eyes wide, and he was breathing hard.

"What happened?!" he asked, panic in his voice. rico walked in

"lay back down it was a false alarm." she replied trying to calm nathan's nerves.

"False alarm?! Five shots went off!"

a knife got dropped on the other side of the fence and they had to shoot their way through. its fine nathan." she said glad he wasn't awake to hear her accent earlier. Nathan sighed, trying not to seem on-edge.

Nathan didn't fall asleep. He sat and listened to Rico voice carried through the prison, seeming as if she wanted to calm everyone's nerves.


	11. authors note

sorry i haven't been updating often but life is hectic with school and home work. ill try to update as soon as i can. :)


	12. Chapter 11

Nathan woke up.  
_Yup. Still in a cell_. he thought. He was honestly hoping it was a dream, that he'd wake up, and his life would be normal again. No walkers. No governor. No bullet in the arm. There was only one problem. If it was all a dream, it would mean that Rico wouldn't be there. He didn't know why he found himself thinking that. He'd lost friends before, for various reasons. But, for some reason that Nathan didn't understand, he didn't think he could bare losing Rico.

Nathan sat up on the bed. He looked at the gunshot in his arm. It was wrapped in bandages now, but he could still feel the bullet. He sighed.

"Guess we're gettin' it out today, then." he said to himself, thinking out loud. He looked around the cell room. He could see slight blood on the floor. He flinched when he realized it was probably his own. He stood up off the bed. Rico was gone. No one was outside the cell. Where is everybody? he asked himself. He walked out of the cell, and up to one of the large windows. Everybody seemed to be at the fence, stabbing walkers trying to get in. Nathan grimaced. Talk about dirty jobs… He looked around the floor. His gun was gone. He figured Rico had it.

Nathan walked to the entrance and stepped outside. His eyes hurt from how bright it was out there. He had been holed up in the cell for one whole day, and it wasn't exactly helping that he had a shot arm. Not a lot in his life was really helping right now.

Nathan considered walking to the fence. It would be nice to talk to Rico. But, they all seemed rather busy. Stabbing walkers and all. But, nonetheless, Nathan figured they could use a little help. He walked forward. But, after a few steps, he realized something. He had almost no experience with hand-to-hand combat. Aside from stabbing someone with a rusty knife. But, it wasn't really combat. It was more like retribution. A sort of revenge that Nathan had felt a personal need to fulfill. Aside from that incident, he had never really had any experience with a knife. Much less stabbing and cutting walkers in the head with them. What if the knife got stuck and Nathan couldn't get it out?

Nathan shrugged.

"I worry WAY too much for my own good…" he said to himself. He looked at the fence again. All around it, on every side, walkers, scattered around, clawed and snapped at the fence, trying in vain to get in. Nathan gulped at the sight of the walkers. He remembered being cornered in the barn, he remembered having to kill one, he remembered being ambushed by one. After all that, he still hadn't gotten used to them. Who could? It's hard to get used to seeing a dead body or two every day. Getting used to seeing dead bodies everywhere, getting up and killing people in one of the most brutal ways possible?

No way.

Nathan turned his attention to the prison. The stone walls and cement floors were cracked, making it a bit uneasy to enter the prison. The iron bars were blood stained, and a few were even on the ground, ripped and torn, like there had been a massive struggle. Though, that really shouldn't have been a surprise to Nathan. A whole prison, full of people who had turned? Yeah. That would make a struggle, to say the very least of it. Nathan sighed. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like, being here in a time like that. People dying everywhere, fights breaking out at random, blood covering the walls, the dead rising...well, actually, come to think of it, Nathan didn't have that hard of a time imagining it. In fact, it sounded like his life. Nathan became depressed at realizing that. His life sounded like a prison with a walker outbreak. At least he had friends.


	13. author's note 2

Sryy guys My math grade went down so i cant use my next time -ricothezombieslayer


	14. Chapter 12

Stab,stab,stab. This seemed like a futile effort but rico wasn't one to say anything. They had taken her and Nathan in when they could have killed them. She was just glad to have a group if thats what you call it, and most of all a roof over her head and a place to keep Nathan safe. If that meant she'd have to stand here every day at the fence stabbing walkers then so be it. Rico looked around it seemed odd that they were silent. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something seemed off about them like this wasn't how they were could feel a pair of eyes on her. She looked around but no one was looking at her.

"thats odd" she muttered wiping walker blood off her face. she looked toward the prison and spotted nathan. She waved to him.

Nathan waved back, but as he did so, he winced.

"Heh, that was stupid." he gripped the arm he had waved to Rico with. It was the same arm that had the bullet in it. Not the best of ideas, Nathan figured. He waved quickly with his other hand and walked toward them. Rico continued stabbing the walkers while she waited for nathan to reach them. Nathan walked over to Rico, making sure to keep a small distance between them. It wasn't anything personal. He just didn't want to be stabbed or bitten.

"welcome back to the land off the living, fucktard. didnt think you were gonna wake up for a while." rico said as she stabbed a walker in the face. Nathan smiles slightly. He actually was getting used to being called "fucktard".

"don't just stand there and gawk. i mean i know im beautiful" she said teasing him flipping her hair over her shoulder. Nathan's face flushed bright red. He crossed his arms and looked around.

"So...this is normal for these people?" he asked.

"yeah." rico answered. Nathan nodded, only half listening. He was examining the walkers, how they didn't even react to the knives until it was too late. He found it odd. There was almost no intelligence left in what was, at one point, part of the most intelligent race on earth. What could have torn that from a human? Rico turned around and faced nathan

"anyone home in there" she said waving her hand in front of his face. Nathan snapped back. He shook his head, as though he was a wet dog, and looked at her.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." he said, slightly embarrassed that he got off-subject.

"jezz your spacey today" she said stabbing a walker over her shoulder without trying.

"Well...after getting shot, a lot of stuff goes through my head, I guess…" Nathan said, somewhat rolled her eyes.

"yes i know i've been shot before myself." she said. Nathan looked at her, a look of slight shock on his face.

"You...what?" he asked, somewhat horrified.

"yes i got shot befor. long before the world went to shit." she said putting her hands on her hips. Nathan contemplated whether he should ask what had happened or not.

"classic tail of someone is in the wrong place at the wrong time." she said. Nathan nodded hesitantly. He decided it might be best not to sighed

"ill tell you at some point." she said. Nathan nodded again.

"You sure you want to?" he asked.

"well it might jog someone's memory and you deserve to know." she said.

"Alright…" he said, trailing off. He directed his attention to the walkers at the fenceline.

"pathetic creatures, don't you think" rico asked looking at a walker. Nathan shrugged.

"They aren't creatures...just people." Nathan said, almost wistfully.

"you won't think that when one tries to eat your face and succeeds" she said violently stabbing the walker right between the eyes. Nathan sighed.

"They WERE people…" he muttered, feeling somewhat defeated. she shrugged and continued to stab. Nathan looked around.

"You, uh...you know any of these people?"

"which ones the living or the dead?" she questioned. Nathan gave her a look of both amusement and irritation.

"The living ones, smarty." he said, smiling.

"a few,coast boy" she said wiping the blood off her knife. Nathan looked around again.

"Which ones?" he asked, eyeing one of them suspiciously.

"come on ill show you" rico said taking a step back from the fence. Nathan nodded, still unsure whether to fully agree. How could he trust these people? Well...how could he trust them just yet? she walked over to a boy

"this is carl." she said putting her hand on his head. Carl looked up, slightly annoyed. Nathan simply nodded again, knowing the child didn't take kindly to the introduction he was being given. He pushed Rico's hand off of his head, scowling.

"Don't touch me." he said, glaring. He crosses his arms and glanced at Nathan.

"well excusssssssse me princess" rico said sarcastically. Carl growled.

"Don't call me that!" he snapped.

"make me short stack" rico responded crossing her arms. Carl stomped his foot on the ground.

"Shut up!" he yelled. Rick turned around to look at him. rico rolled her eyes.

"am i supposed to be afraid of a kid half my size?" she asked. Rick looked at Carl and crossed his arms.

"Carl. Don't go talkin' back. She was introducing you." he said. Carl glared at him silently.

"Yeah, whatever…!" he muttered, his voice still rising nearing the end of the statement.

"oh nathan this is rick." she said gesturing to rick. Nathan nodded in Rick's direction.

"I'd shake your hand, Rick, but uh…" Nathan motioned to his arm.

"when we getting that taken care of by the way" rico asked looking at Nathan's arm. Rick shrugged.

"Whenever we can. For now, I need you to get back to the fence. And Carl, behave yourself." Rick said, looking back at Carl. Carl scowled at Rico.

"ok" rico went back to stabbing the walkers. Nathan sighed and walked over to Rico, not wanting to be around for a likely argument between Rick and his son.

"so how you feelin coast boy?" rico asked nathan. Nathan shrugged.

"Good, I guess...still hurts." he muttered.

"well that tends to happen, fucktard" rico said. Nathan rolled his eyes.

"And you STILL call me that…" rico gave him a big cheesy grin. Nathan smiled slightly.

"So...how long you been up?" he asked.

"since the ass crack of dawn" answered rico. Nathan laughed.

"Love that analogy." he said, smiled as she stabbed a walker in the face the blood spurting out and getting on her face giving her smile an almost scary look to it. Nathan recoiled slightly, the black blood splattering the fence, and part of his now ruined shirt. He sighed.

"you get used to it" rico said. Nathan nodded, staring at the blood. He wiped a few drops of it from his face, grimacing when it touched his hand.

"Gross…" he murmured.

"i don't mind it" rico said seemingly unaware of the blood on her face. Nathan looked at her and motioned to his own face.

"You got somethin' right here." he said.

"yeah i know." rico said. Nathan sighed. He didn't really like Rico being like continued to stab the walkers on the other side of the fence. Nathan watched her, somewhat confused. He turned his attention back to Rick, who was still arguing with Carl. Nathan sighed as more people got involved. Soon, he and Rico were the only ones at the fence.

"Well, this sucks." Nathan said.

"considering i'm the only one doing the work" rico said. Nathan nodded, sadly. He didn't have his own weapon. He would've helped her if he continued to stab the walkers. Nathan began to get troubled. He could hear the fence rattling more. It was getting louder, and so was the sound of the walkers groaning and gurgling through their blood-flooded throats.

"Hey...are there more of them now, or something?" Nathan asked.

"yeah it happens."rico said. Nathan looked at her. Instantly, his eyes widen. He tried to speak, but only gasped. "what?" rico asked.

"R-Rico...move!" he yelled.

"why" rico asked. Nathan didn't answer. In a quick movement, he pushed Rico aside.

" WHAT THE FUCK!" rico yelled as nathan pushed her. Again, Nathan didn't answer. He was being cornered against the fence by started tabbing the walkers " A LITTLE HELP OVER HERE" she yelled. Rick looked over and his eyes widened.

"RICO! Go with them, I'll catch up!" NAthan yelled, kicking the walkers onto the ground.

"you really are a fucktard! i'm not leaving you behind" she yelled back at him stabbing the walkers faster.

"Rico." Nathan said, looking her in the eyes.

"no." she said. Nathan sighed. He shoved Rico towards Rick, who accidently somehow grabbed her.

"Rick! Take Rico and the others into the prison! I'll be there soon!" Nathan yelled.

"NATHAN YOU IDIOT" rico yelled fighting rick's grip. Rick dragged her toward the didn't stop struggling the whole time.

"leT me go!" Rico yelled trying hard to get out of rick's grip. Rick shook his head.

"We have to get you inside!" he insisted.

"let me LET ME GO." rico yelled "hes not gonna make it without help" she started to cry.

"He can hold his own, he'll be fine!"

"he doesn't have a weapon..hes not gonna be fine" rico said crying. Rick dragged her into the prison and shut the doors.

"you have to let me go back out there and help him…..you HAVE TO" rico pleaded. Rick sighed and shook his head.

"Nathan's orders…" he muttered. Rico sat there crying.

"please…." she said. Rick was silent for a moment.

"Get into one of the cells…" he said.

"no" she said. Rick sighed in frustration.

"What would Nathan have you do if he was in here?" he ripped her arm from his grip and walked to her cell and got her cross bow

"he doesn't come back and i'm ending it." she state leaving no room for discussion. Rick nodded hesitantly.

"Alright...fair enough." he glared at him

"just remember. it will have been your fault because u didnt let me go back for him." she stated. Rick scowled.

"I'm just respecting his wish!"

"HIS WISH?! what about mine? do i not matter" rico snapped.

"If he DIES out there, I don't want it to be in a moment when he didn't accomplish what he felt was the right thing!" rico had tears streaming down her face in rivers by now

"fuck you.i-i….i fucking love him!" rico shouted and walked, more like ran into her cell. Rick stared at the wall in front of him, pondering on what to sat on her bed crying. Rick looked over at her cell and frowned sadly. He walked over and looked at heard his footsteps but didn't look up or do anything that might say she knew he was there.

"Rico…"

"wut?!" she snapped.

"...I'll let you go out there. Just take this." he said, throwing his gun into the cell.

"i dont want your gun i've got my crossbow." she said walking out. Rick nodded opened the doors and walked out. Rick watched her. He wondered if he had done the right thing. Rico almost immediately picked nathan out of the cluster of walkers.

Nathan was covered head-to-toe with walker blood. His good arm was covered with scratches and his own started firing her crossbow at the walkers. Nathan limped his way out of the crowd, black blood and slime dripping from was killing the walkers. trying to keep the path clear for nathan. Nathan walked through, got out of the walkers' sight, and fell to his knees, ran over and pulled nathan into the prison. Nathan couldn't talk. He found it difficult enough for him to breath.

"please tell me u didn't get bitten" rico pleaded.


End file.
